Oh Hallelujah, this forum finally has a title that describes the intent for discussion here.

Blue Shadow

Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
I don't know, I don't care what all the other names were but reporting posts from newer members about their regular vintage box of electronics and the mods having to move those as well as the ones they see before others report them has kept them so busy they needed to remove the word vintage for title of the forum. For a newb, just seeing one forum with vintage in the title...well my gear question must go here.

Hopefully we can have some more discussions, Yes Discussions, not just what's the best or what makes a wow and other list your favorite crap, about some of the High-end separates even if they are newer.

Years past to me means 2018 and earlier. Let's hope so and we can discuss the early Mark Levinson vs. the more recent Audio Research amps and preamps, for example.

Thanks for changing the name of this forum.
 
In the near future, I’ll be able to compare a newer Levinson 432 (2010) with some older Stax mono amps (1990). Both are fairly high end, the Stax does edge the Levinson out as an exotic, but both are designed to push sound reproduction toward what’s thought to be the most desired end. I’ll be curious to hear their interpretations of each ones version of that end. I know there will be similarities, it’s the differences I’m most interested in discovering.
 
In order to have a discussion you need at least two people. With my equipment on this site and I have found with others the posting doesn't have much in discussion or lasting traction. Just like anything in the High End or higher end it tends to be pretty limited and less owners of.
 
In order to have a discussion you need at least two people. With my equipment on this site and I have found with others the posting doesn't have much in discussion or lasting traction. Just like anything in the High End or higher end it tends to be pretty limited and less owners of.
Well thanks for your comments however negative/realistic they may be. I know you are set in your gear, you have pieces you intend to keep as you have assembled a rig you like. This comes from your comments about my posts where folks get to hear different stuff when they come over and your comment that seemed to indicate you were comfortable with your rig and why don't we get a good rig and stick with it. I have a good rig, I like to think I can improve it and discussions of high end gear that can be found for reasonable amounts today are one way to move to a higher level. This is not necessary with McIntosh gear of which you have quite a few pieces as if you need different there is plenty of that stuff to get and a forum dedicated to its discussion. A couple other brands you have are also branded onto your being and that is just fine, sure beats (not the turntable again, we've seen that enough) having some of the other brands emblazoned on oneself that are very common common here.

There isn't much high end gear represented on AK because it is mostly a Stereo Lust vintage gear site with folks seeking the gear a few steps up from the unit they bought when new. Most companies didn't make smaller receivers and high end gear so many don't even know what this high end gear is or even some of the brand names. The fact that it was more expensive means there were fewer units purchased and so a smaller group that know the units. But we have to have a place to discuss them where Yamaha CR-3020 doesn't bomb in claiming it the ultimate. We know better.

So just keep negative comments on the downlow and participate when you can if you want to and maybe we can make a go of it here.. We know it will be a slower forum than others because of the lack of experience by the masses but it is a start with a title to allow folks to find a place to discuss this gear that isn't all about the best new stuff like audioafficionado where the vintage gear is frequently shunned.

Problem is we haven't got a definition of high end and many times these discussions end up in the solid state or tube forum so I agree this forum will stay slow. At least we have it, maybe we can get it moved to the main forum section and change SS to Receivers or something and have all the gear properly represented. Sure we would have to discuss the Yamaha C-6 multiple times to get one thread on the Mark Levinson No. 26. But we have something.
 
Well thanks for your comments however negative/realistic they may be. I know you are set in your gear, you have pieces you intend to keep as you have assembled a rig you like. This comes from your comments about my posts where folks get to hear different stuff when they come over and your comment that seemed to indicate you were comfortable with your rig and why don't we get a good rig and stick with it. I have a good rig, I like to think I can improve it and discussions of high end gear that can be found for reasonable amounts today are one way to move to a higher level. This is not necessary with McIntosh gear of which you have quite a few pieces as if you need different there is plenty of that stuff to get and a forum dedicated to its discussion. A couple other brands you have are also branded onto your being and that is just fine, sure beats (not the turntable again, we've seen that enough) having some of the other brands emblazoned on oneself that are very common common here.

There isn't much high end gear represented on AK because it is mostly a Stereo Lust vintage gear site with folks seeking the gear a few steps up from the unit they bought when new. Most companies didn't make smaller receivers and high end gear so many don't even know what this high end gear is or even some of the brand names. The fact that it was more expensive means there were fewer units purchased and so a smaller group that know the units. But we have to have a place to discuss them where Yamaha CR-3020 doesn't bomb in claiming it the ultimate. We know better.

So just keep negative comments on the downlow and participate when you can if you want to and maybe we can make a go of it here.. We know it will be a slower forum than others because of the lack of experience by the masses but it is a start with a title to allow folks to find a place to discuss this gear that isn't all about the best new stuff like audioafficionado where the vintage gear is frequently shunned.

Problem is we haven't got a definition of high end and many times these discussions end up in the solid state or tube forum so I agree this forum will stay slow. At least we have it, maybe we can get it moved to the main forum section and change SS to Receivers or something and have all the gear properly represented. Sure we would have to discuss the Yamaha C-6 multiple times to get one thread on the Mark Levinson No. 26. But we have something.
Actually my post was not negative, I just mentioned reality on this site with high end anything. The cutting edge threads all die off very fast also. I have more than mac equipment that is high end but also tube equipment. I posted it in tubes and didn't see you ever post a comment in any of those threads.

that isn't all about the best new stuff like audioafficionado where the vintage gear is frequently shunned.
I have never seen that there at all, in fact there is far more revers snobbery on this site as well as your comment to me just now than anything I'v see there, fact is I have never seen anyone belittled there for what they own.
 
So true on reverse snob... But the vintage is rarely treated well elsewhere, not snob, but just as here, unknown and not discussed.
 
Is accuphase gear from yesteryear considered High End? - I often wondered or it is top of the line mid-fi?
I mean the vintage stuff, i know the newer stuff must be considered high end given the price of same
 
Since I'm kinda wanting this forum to morph into the discussion place for preamps and power amps, maybe integrated amps, the accuphase could easily be discussed here. Most of AK doesn't know this forum exists and posts in solid state cause that fits. But the discussion of the separates on that forum used to bring out some folks with some receivers that swore up and down that their receiver was better than separates. With that distraction in decline, most discussion of high end solid state gear seems to be handled mostly in the solid state forum. Now if we can change this forum just a bit more...and move it...and change solid state to receivers...well we would have something but I see an issue with newbs, they don't know tuners from receivers and they might not know to post about there recent buy of an HK 430 in receivers. But baby steps and we have a more proper name on this forum.

Welcome to post the Accuphase gear here. It was started by the Kenwood guys that wanted to build high end gear. They would want it here.
 
So this diminutive, but highly polished Swiss gem showed up here this past Monday. It’s 1.75”, but is a solid 35#. The design is part of the original Goldmund, which was a few keys, and a hired team of engineers and scientists. All of the smaller sized gear is pre Yves- Bernard Andre, at least as the principal designer.
I’d heard a lot of positive commentary on the Mimesis 3 amp, and even had one in around 2005. However, I never used it as it was traded off immediately. Lately, the opinion of the amp forced my hand into getting one. I’m glad I did, it’s really shocking. The size, especially considering the bigger-more-better attitude which can be clouding in the high end, makes this seem less than. Big error in thinking. This is around a 100 watt amp at 8, so there’s certainly ample power. It’s based on Hitachi MOSFET outputs, four of them per channel. 250w dissipation per (I think). As important, the power supply uses four toroidal transformers and 22,000 MF caps per channel. A good, stiff power supply is probably more important than one thinks. Being able to produce every ounce of the claimed power at the full frequency spectrum is eye opening, as has been evidenced in my listening sessions. Especially compared to the JVC M-L10. Mind you, there’s about 4x in price difference between the two, but the JVC is just unable to be as dynamic, fast and accurate. The M-L10 seems to struggle at four ohms, and is often a little glossy and lacks the roundness and impact of the Goldmund’s bass. In fact, the difference is so dramatic, one hears it immediately between the two. The Goldmund also dispatches the much larger Onkyo 510, in terms of sheer musicality. I’m fortunate enough to have the original Hitachi PC-OCC power cable. If one didn’t know, Hitachi was also at the forefront of purifying copper wire tech too.
This amp is also part of the ultra wide bandwidth models, -3db at .85mhz!
Today, Goldmund still makes super premium gear, but it’s quite dark sounding. That signature started with the Mim. 9. Thankfully, the thin-line series did not.
The amp, pre and tuner took 5 years to finalize. Add in the Reference TT, and the vintage Apalogue speaker and you’re living the 80’s in high style. Seriously though, you will have to go with FM acoustics or DartZeel to match it then or today. The Mim 3 is that good.
Just make sure a qualified Goldmund authorized shop has updated the smaller caps with Vishay replacements. Costly, but worth it.
38D30C7A-4BEC-42FC-A62F-1C817264752F.jpeg 3676DFEB-30A8-4B74-8D0B-C3F21622C78C.jpeg 04BD2698-66CC-440C-B65D-89A4F7079735.jpeg D7EF7411-62BE-4DE7-88F1-63ED7B7576E2.jpeg 59DD3B49-20EC-414C-B5EB-B453D1EEC42F.jpeg E44EED66-08C4-499F-B28C-BF53D24E7DFF.jpeg
The Goldmund also seems to play well with many different preamps. Although I’d imagine it sounds its best with a 2+, the P-L10 I have here makes glorious noises thru it. In fact, it sounds a good bit better thru the Goldmund than it does thru the matching M-L10 amp. The Goldmund is a little less sensitive, so I’m able to raise the volume knob position into the more linear range, something I think would help with the sonic signature I’m hearing. Details can suffer at the lower ranges of a volume potentiometer.
Edit 1. The mention of Hitachi’s work on the PC-OCC copper wire tech is incidental only. The amp was designed with the Hitachi outputs and with the particular cord in mind. It’s likely all of the final measurements were done using it, so from the designers perspective, it makes sense to include it. By no means was I advocating for any one type over another.
Edit 2. After doing an A/B, the mighty Onkyo M-510 wins this shootout, it too matches very well with the P-L10 preamp I’m using. The Goldmund will be tested with both preamps coming in the mail. As will the Onkyo. I want to be sure the playing field is even.
 
Last edited:
Hopefully we can have some more discussions, Yes Discussions, not just what's the best or what makes a wow and other list your favorite crap, about some of the High-end separates even if they are newer.
I actually do have a thread idea I am considering. I agree, too, that it is easy for discussions to get lost in Solid State or Tube forums here, or anywhere else for that matter. No offense intended, but I have almost no interest in the 70s and 80s receivers and old tubed integrated amps and such. They might be nice but for me, that ship has sailed.
 
I'd like to see a thread "Show and Tell us about your high end vintage gear"
This stuff is rare, and unique and represents a bygone era. You all that own this stuff are keepers of the flame. I'd like to see people showing off their stuff with pictures, vintage sales literature, guts shots, schematics, original manuals, collections, matching components, test data, stories of great finds and repairs, etc...
 
Great idea for a forum. I'm past where I can afford anything high end but then retirement suits me quite well. And while everything has it's place I'd rather read about good high end gear as opposed to another 50 year old receiver. I like those too but we have plenty of forums that already deal with them.
 
I'm past where I can afford anything high end but then retirement suits me quite well.
You would be surprised. ;) Sometimes there are bargains out there to be had. I'm not retired (I probably never can retire), but I am settling in myself on a "lifetime" system at this point.

I have found that the audiophile game is a game of patience, chance and opportunity. I own what is considered high-end, but I've waited patiently for years for these specific deals to come along, and a couple of times, the deal was too good that I couldn't pass it up, and I had to scramble to cover the purchase by selling other components I no longer use. (Other than cars, I buy nothing on credit--if I can't afford it in cash, I can't afford it period.) And I am not afraid to travel--I've picked up speakers and a power amp in Connecticut, and just recently a soundbar south of Cleveland. I don't buy new in most cases. For the brand I have been buying, the newer components are 4x-5x as much as what I paid for mine. There's no way I could ever afford them new.
 
That here what I got what do you have thread is Not what I want. That just makes it a show and tell, not a discussion.

I would like to see folks start a thread on a brand of component and discuss their experience with the particular unit and what other components were used with it. How it's sonics compare to other items they have used. Sure if the rig is a pre and power from one company all the better. Many high end companies have a sonic signature that is refined over the years and it would be good to be able to discuss this in these threads instead of here's my totl preamp it sounds great and then a follow post of the next guys esoteric power amp.

Discussion. Not common components takes everyone contributing to keep things rolling along.
 
I would like to see folks start a thread on a brand of component and discuss their experience with the particular unit and what other components were used with it. How it's sonics compare to other items they have used. Sure if the rig is a pre and power from one company all the better.
That is what I had in mind. :) I'd like to get some good photos before I do that, however. I guess I should clean up and dust the rack first. :D
 
Ds2000, that Goldmund amplifier is a beauty. I have only seen one in person many years ago, probably mid to late 80’s. Wasn’t able to hear it which was a shame. This one looks to be in top shape! The Hitachi FETs back then were all the talk, and still may be one of the best in some respects even today, made specifically for audio purpose.
 
"If one didn’t know, Hitachi was at the forefront of purifying copper wire tech."

I'm lucky to have enough of the Hitachi PC-OCC interconnects to wire my entire system; in addition to advanced cable technology, they're also dual-core with floating shield, a good construction principle IMO. They made a startling difference — when inserted into the whole system — even when comparing to other "good" cables such as Tara Labs, Straightwire, Audioquest. I don't want to divert this promising new forum into wire-wars, just wanted to endorse Ds2000's comment.
 
Back
Top Bottom